The present invention relates to a modular arrangement of a vehicle technical front surface and more precisely to a structural air guide functioning as a technical front surface of a motor vehicle engine. It is a question of channeling the air entering via at least one ventilating opening or grille in the front face or front bumper skin of the vehicle in order to conduct it to a set of elements combined in what is termed a “cooling kit”. This term is intended to denote all the elements necessary for cooling the engine, which are sometimes stacked in layers or are in part superposed; the cooling kit is conventionally composed of the engine cooling water radiator, of the optional charge air radiator (intercooler) and of the condenser.
The “technical front surface” is known in the art as a structure which is situated in front of the engine block and which has the function of supporting various components, mainly the radiator of the engine block. The technical front surface may take multiple forms. In certain cases, it amounts to a simple transverse beam. In other cases, it constitutes a chassis of more less complex form incorporating the cooling kit. The technical front surface incorporates various functions such as hood stop support, hood lock support or a strut supporting the hood lock etc.
Document EP 1 8 13485 discloses a technical front surface intended to be incorporated into the front of a vehicle in an engine compartment of said vehicle, behind at least one ventilating grille of a front face of the vehicle, the technical front surface being in the form of a substantially rectangular structure comprising in particular a front surface, a rear surface, and an upper border, said structure incorporating at least one radiator and comprising means for fastening to the structure of the vehicle.
A disadvantage of the technical front surface arrangement known from this document is that it cannot achieve adequate guiding of the air from the ventilating grille to the radiator. Another disadvantage is that this arrangement is specific to one vehicle model and that as many arrangement models as there are models of vehicles are required.